The 2025 MLB Playoffs are set to deliver high-stakes baseball as the league’s top teams clash for a chance at October glory. From wild-card thrillers to division showdowns, the stage is primed for drama and standout performances.
Television networks across the U.S. have mapped out a full schedule, ensuring fans won’t miss a single pitch. With multiple games airing daily, the postseason promises nonstop action and opportunities to witness history in the making.
The bracket structure defines the path to the World Series, blending short bursts of intensity with long-term strategy. Every matchup carries weight, and teams will navigate both pressure and opportunity on the road to the championship.
2025 MLB postseason format
The 2025 postseason is set to begin, utilizing the 12-team expanded format that guarantees an exciting, unpredictable race to the World Series, presented by Capital One. The action kicks off with the Wild Card Series on the last day of September and will run through early November.
The current MLB playoff format qualifies 12 teams (six from the American League and six from the National League) based on their regular season records. The seeding structure is as follows:
- Division winners (Seeds 1 and 2): The two division champions with the best record get a bye to the Division Series.
- Wild Card teams (Seeds 3, 4, 5 and 6): The division winners with the third-best record in their respective leagues have to play in the Wild Card. There the teams with the best records that did not win a division title also get to challenge for a Division Series berth. Each league’s No. 3 seed plays the No. 6 seed, with the No. 4 seed playing the No. 5.
| Series | Format | Home Field Advantage (HFA) |
| Wild Card Series (WCS) | Best-of-three (First to two wins) | Higher seed hosts all three games (3-0 format) |
| Division Series (ALDS/NLDS) | Best-of-five (First to three wins) | Higher seed hosts Games 1, 2, and 5 (2-2-1 format) |
| League Championship Series (ALCS/NLCS) | Best-of-seven (First to four wins) | Higher seed hosts Games 1, 2, 6, and 7 (2-3-2 format) |
| World Series | Best-of-seven (First to four wins) | Team with the better regular season record hosts Games 1, 2, 6, and 7 (2-3-2 format) |
2025 MLB postseason schedule and key dates
- AL Wild Card Series
Game 1 | Tuesday, September 30 at 1:08 PM ET: Detroit Tigers – Cleveland Guardians
Game 2 | Wednesday, October 1 at 1:08 PM ET: Detroit Tigers – Cleveland Guardians
Game 3 | Thursday, October 2 at 1:08 PM ET: Detroit Tigers – Cleveland Guardians
- NL Wild Card Series
Game 1 | Tuesday, September 30 at 3:08 PM ET: San Diego Padres – Chicago Cubs
Game 2 | Wednesday, October 1 at 3:08 PM ET: San Diego Padres – Chicago Cubs
Game 3 | Thursday, October 2 at 3:08 PM ET: San Diego Padres – Chicago Cubs
- AL Wild Card Series
Game 1 | Tuesday, September 30 at 6:08 PM ET: Boston Red Sox – New York Yankees
Game 2 | Wednesday, October 1 at 6:08 PM ET: Boston Red Sox – New York Yankees
Game 3 | Thursday, October 2 at 6:08 PM ET: Boston Red Sox – New York Yankees
- NL Wild Card Series
Game 1 | Tuesday, September 30 at 9:08 PM ET: Cincinnati Reds – Los Angeles Dodgers
Game 2 | Wednesday, October 1 at 9:08 PM ET: Cincinnati Reds – Los Angeles Dodgers
Game 3 | Thursday, October 2 at 9:08 PM ET: Cincinnati Reds – Los Angeles Dodgers
- ALDS (AL 4/5 winner plays TOR)
Game 1 | Saturday, October 4: AL4/5 – Toronto Blue Jays
Game 2 | Sunday, October 5: AL4/5 – Toronto Blue Jays
Game 3 | Tuesday, October 7: Toronto Blue Jays – AL4/5
Game 4 | Wednesday, October 8: Toronto Blue Jays – AL4/5
Game 5 | Friday, October 10: AL4/5 – Toronto Blue Jays
- NLDS (NL 3/6 winner plays PHI)
Game 1 | Saturday, October 4: NL3/6 – Philadelphia Phillies
Game 2 | Monday, October 6: NL3/6 – Philadelphia Phillies
Game 3 | Wednesday, October 8: Philadelphia Phillies – NL3/6
Game 4 | Thursday, October 9: Philadelphia Phillies – NL3/6
Game 5 | Saturday, October 11: Philadelphia Phillies – NL3/6
- NLDS (NL 4/5 winner plays MIL)
Game 1 | Saturday, October 4: NL4/5 – Milwaukee Brewers
Game 2 | Monday, October 6: NL4/5 – Milwaukee Brewers
Game 3 | Wednesday, October 8: Milwaukee Brewers – NL4/5
Game 4 | Thursday, October 9: Milwaukee Brewers – NL4/5
Game 5 | Saturday, October 11: NL4/5 – Milwaukee Brewers
- ALDS (AL 3/6 winner plays SEA)
Game 1 | Saturday, October 4: AL3/6 – Seattle Mariners
Game 2 | Sunday, October 5: AL3/6 – Seattle Mariners
Game 3 | Tuesday, October 7: Seattle Mariners – AL3/6
Game 4 | Wednesday, October 8: Seattle Mariners – AL3/6
Game 5 | Friday, October 10: AL3/6 – Seattle Mariners
- ALCS
Game 1 | Sunday, October 12: AL Low – AL High
Game 2 | Monday, October 13: AL Low – AL High
Game 3 | Wednesday, October 15: AL High – AL Low
Game 4 | Thursday, October 16: AL High – AL Low
Game 5 | Friday, October 17: AL High – AL Low
Game 6 | Sunday, October 19: AL Low – AL High
Game 7 | Monday, October 20: AL Low – AL High
- NLCS
Game 1 | Monday, October 13: NL Low – NL High
Game 2 | Tuesday, October 14: NL Low – NL High
Game 3 | Thursday, October 16: NL High – NL Low
Game 4 | Friday, October 17: NL High – NL Low
Game 5 | Saturday, October 18: NL High – NL Low
Game 6 | Monday, October 20: NL Low – NL High
Game 7 | Tuesday, October 21: NL Low – NL High
- World Series
Game 1 | Friday, October 24: LOW – HIGH
Game 2 | Saturday, October 25: LOW – HIGH
Game 3 | Monday, October 27: HIGH – LOW
Game 4 | Tuesday, October 28: HIGH – LOW
Game 5 | Wednesday, October 29: HIGH – LOW
Game 6 | Friday, October 31: LOW – HIGH
Game 7 | Saturday, November 1: LOW – HIGH
2025 MLB postseason bracket
Where to watch the 2025 MLB postseason games
Fans looking to catch every pitch of the 2025 MLB Postseason will need to navigate coverage split across the league’s major broadcast partners: the ESPN family, the FOX family and the Warner Bros. Discovery family (TBS/truTV/HBO Max).
The action begins with the entire Wild Card Series, which is broadcast exclusively by the ESPN family of networks. This means all eight participating teams and the maximum 12 games in the best-of-three round will be found on either ESPN or ABC.
For Spanish-language viewers, ESPN Deportes will provide exclusive television coverage, and all WCS games will be available to stream via the ESPN App, provided viewers have the necessary cable or streaming authentication.
Once the field is narrowed, the coverage shifts and splits by league for the Division Series (ALDS/NLDS) and the League Championship Series (ALCS/NLCS).
The American League side of the bracket—encompassing the ALDS and ALCS—is the domain of FOX Sports. All American League playoff matchups, leading up to the World Series, will be carried primarily on FOX and FS1 (FOX Sports 1).
Conversely, the National League playoff matchups—including the NLDS and NLCS—will be broadcast exclusively by TBS and its sister networks, truTV. Fans looking for streaming options for the National League games should note that the games are also available to stream on select plans of HBO Max.
Finally, the biggest stage in baseball, the World Series, will be broadcast exclusively by the FOX network. Every game of the best-of-seven championship series will be shown on the main FOX channel in English.